THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week Congress moved forward on two
important issues affecting the national security of our country.

Yesterday the House passed a responsible war funding bill that will provide
vital resources to our men and women on the front lines in the war on
terror. This legislation gives our troops the funds they need to prevail
without tying the hands of our commanders in the field or imposing
artificial timetables for withdrawal.

The bill also supports our military families by passing an expansion of the
GI Bill that makes it easier for our troops to transfer unused education
benefits to their spouses and their children. I want to thank the members
of Congress for their action on this legislation, and I urge the Senate to
pass it as soon as possible.

Members of the House and Senate also reached a bipartisan agreement
yesterday on legislation to allow our intelligence professionals to quickly
and effectively monitor the plans of terrorists abroad, while protecting
the liberties of Americans here at home.

My Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General tells me that
this is a good bill. It will help our intelligence professionals learn our
enemies' plans for new attacks. It ensures that those companies whose
assistance is necessary to protect the country will themselves be protected
from liability for past or future cooperation with the government.

The enemy who attacked us on September the 11th is determined to strike
this country again. It's vital that our intelligence community has the
ability to learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they're saying,
and what they are planning.

I encourage the House of Representatives to pass this bill today, and I ask
the Senate to take it up quickly so our intelligence professionals can
better protect Americans from harm.

I'm pleased with the bipartisan cooperation on both these bills, and I
thank the members for their efforts. Thank you.